This talented all-female ensemble offer an original and inventive take on traditional fairytales. As the name would suggest, Honeypot is a delightfully rich and satisfying retelling of the stories we think we know in an hour of subversive feminist storytelling. Beginning with the peaceful image of young women sleeping in rose patterned pyjamas, a literal and metaphorical awakening sees these female heroines face up to the challenges of contemporary womanhood in all its tribulations and joys.
These female heroines face up to the challenges of contemporary womanhood in all its tribulations and joys.
The strength of this piece is surely in the ensemble; a cast of seriously funny women reinvent the characters we think we know to show them as never seen before. Moving at speed from a sugar-snorting Rapunzel to a certain princess with a taste for bestiality porn, every actor has a moment to display the full range of their wacky character acting. The balance of comedy and more poignant moments is perfectly pitched, and quirky movement sections make transitions between stories as entertaining and important as the sketches themselves. The whole cast are a joy to watch, throwing themselves into the performance with energy, commitment and heaps of personality.
Dialogue from director and writer Natalie Ann Boyd is precise and intelligently played. The show approaches difficult contemporary issues such as FGM and gender politics with honesty and sensitivity. My only complaint? I want more! A little more time spent to flesh out some of the characters and further develop in some of the recurring storyline would not go amiss, although this is understandably constrained by the logistics of the hour-long slot most Fringe venues provide. With a powerful concept and clever writing, I would love to see the full potential of this show realised beyond the Fringe.
Honeypot is an original, inventive and playful reimagining of the stories we think we know, where the heroines take on a life of their own. This hugely talented ensemble piece promises an exciting future for the newly formed company, which is certainly one to watch.
